The Fear of Death
Death surrounds our every day life whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. In fact, death does not cease to occur from the lack of thought or the question of its existence. Most humans are plagued with the ideas and questions of the events that happen after death. Do we have a soul? Is there an after life? Will my death be painful? In reaction to these questions that has been pondered upon for centuries, philosophers have given the advice that helped soothe the dilemma of death.
Change Your Perspective
To constantly bombard yourself with the questions of death, makes the life that you live quite bleak. We may never be able to answer the questions of death completely and may be something that daunts us forever. Instead, you should focus on what you are currently doing in life and how you can enrich it. Being controlled by the fear of something, does not allow for any growth in ones life. Some organized religions have used this to their advantage to prey on the guilt or fear that some may harbor. One must change their perspective on the way that they are viewed. Whether you wish to cease feeling the fear of death, like Socrates, or find some type of beauty in it. A great philosopher known as, Marcus Aurelius, writes in his meditations book about how death should be simply viewed as the ebb and flow of change. He states, "Some things are rushing into existence, others out of it. Some of what now exists is already gone. Change and flux constantly remake the world, just as the incessant progression of time remakes eternity." This paints a brighter picture of death and connects the natural nature of what death is, because death is just a form of change.
A Balance
It is not to say that one should give up on their beliefs in an afterlife or to never question death. Spiritual beliefs can give someone a sense of purpose or a connection to what is around you. You should, however, find a happy medium that gives life purpose and your good deeds are not done with the intention of getting a better afterlife. The philosopher, Epicurus, may have denounced the thought of an afterlife, but he explains that as long as we live, death does not exist. It is vital that we keep in mind that life is not eternal, and we should appreciate what days we are given.
sources:
comments:
Quiz:
1. Is Epicurus a believer in the afterlife?
2. What was Socrates view on the body after death?
Discussion:
1. Do you fear death? If so, explain why?
2. Have you grown to fear death less?
2. Have you grown to fear death less?
Do you fear death? If so, explain why?
ReplyDeleteI do fear death. I fear the possibility of an everlasting emptiness, the loss of the relationships and progression I've made throughout my life, and the fact that I will be unable to continue the story that is my life. Though, Epicurus's philosophy does provide solace, since I will no longer fear death when I am dead.
- Cody Maness Section 11
As a well fear death, perhaps because i feel like i haven't lived my life to the point where i am conformable to pass, and also for the reason of just not knowing for certain what is on the other side, which is where most people pull in religion to give solace but i do like how Epicurus gives a comforting thought about death and that is once you are dead what is there to fear.
ReplyDeleteDo you fear death? If so explain why?
ReplyDeleteI personally do not believe in any life after death, and so part of me is not afraid of death as an experience, but indeed i am terrified of the real world implications of death. I am afraid for the people around me that would suffer from my death, and I am afraid of missing the rest of my life, losing all of the potential time I would have spent on earth.
"death is just a form of change" - and yet it's not just any change, but the ultimate and terminal change that means lights out... so the easy Epicurean assurance that "death is nothing to us" can seem a little glib. THey do have a point, though: we were "dead" forever before birth, and that seems to have been painless enough.
ReplyDelete